I am trying to use up some of the yarn in my stash. Really, who knows how this stuff builds up! …and for this, I am quite liking the projects from Crochet One-Skein Wonders, like the bag I made the other week.

I find crochet really portable for a little project on the go, and a skein of yarn, hook, and my project fit just nicely into my Hana bag for entertainment on the train on my way up to Berkeley on Saturday.

This time around the project was this one:

The Bellisfaire Beanie.

After measuring my noggin, I made the medium size (22 1/2″), and it was super easy!

It is worked using 3.75mm and 4mm hooks, in a simple combination of double crochet and chain stitch, with a picot edge of chain stitch and single crochet:

Here’s a glamorous action shot:

I call this my “I just went for a 9 mile hike and then did battle with a silly shirt pattern for a few hours, you are lucky I even brushed my hair for this” pose.

The yarn is Patons 100% Cotton DK, in 2726 (Jade), it has probably been in my stash for at least 2 years!

What do we think? I think it came out pretty cute.

My trip up the Berkeley was to attend the latest Bay Area Sewists meetup, which was a pattern swap. I came home with a few new lovelies to add to the collection (and possibly even sew from! LOL). We also had a discussion about the joys of indie patterns vs. the big companies. I think they both have their place these days, indie designers tend to have a lot more help available if you get stuck, whereas with the bigger companies… that is pretty much it, but I have found most instructions easy to follow.

On the subject of the big 4….. Joann’s are having a sale on Butterick ($1.99 each!) and Vogue ($4.99 each!), with 40% off the others. Don’t blame me if you get carried away!